Convert cake mixes into tasty delights

Friday

Mar 8, 2013 at 12:01 AMMar 8, 2013 at 12:27 PM

In our busy lives sometimes it’s difficult to find the time to make desserts from scratch. Here are some tasty recipes using a cake mix as a base and then becoming creative with added spices, frostings, filings, and garnishes.

Hope Cusick

In our busy lives sometimes it’s difficult to find the time to make desserts from scratch. Here are some tasty recipes using a cake mix as a base and then becoming creative with added spices, frostings, filings, and garnishes.

Cake mixes have come a long way in the past few decades, and even though, they’re not from scratch, when blended with other ingredients, it’s hard to tell the difference. Cake mixes can be converted into special cakes, cupcakes, bars, cookies, and other desserts. These recipes are quick when having a dinner party or making cookies for a house full of children. The Dreamsicle cake and the Cannoli cake take more time for preparation, but they are worth the effort for something special and impressive.

For the easiest and fastest dessert make the dump cake. It’s tasty, quick, and can be made in an hour with only 10 minutes of prep time. You can use canned or fresh fruits, nuts, and/or flaked coconut. Cherry pie filling and crushed pineapple are a nice combination.

Enjoy!

Quick, Easy and Tasty Blueberry Dump Cake

This cake recipe is very simple and quick to make. If you have children who would like to bake, then this is the perfect recipe. There’s no mixing involved.

In a large bowl with an electric mixer combine together cake mix, oil, pudding, eggs,, peach schnapps, orange juice, and orange zest. Pour into prepared cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes or until cake springs back, when lightly touched in the center.

For glazed topping. In a bowl stir together peach schnapps, orange juice and confectioners’ sugar until well blended. While cake is still warm in pan, poke small holes in top of cake with the handle end of a wooden spoon or wooden chopstick. Pour peach schnapps mixture over the entire surface of the cake. Allow to cool in pan 2-3 hours before removing.

French Vanilla Cake with Cannoli Filling

Cake:

1 package French vanilla cake mix

1 cup whole milk

8 tablespoons butter, melted

3 large eggs, room temperature

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Cannoli Filling:

¾ (three fourths) cup confectioners’ sugar

¾ (three fourths) cup whole milk

1 16-ounce container ricotta cheese

1 tablespoon grated orange zest

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon almond extract

½ (one half) cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips, if desired

Buttercream Frosting:

8 tablespoons butter, softened

3 ¾ (three and three fourths) cups confectioners’ sugar

3-4 tablespoons milk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 teaspoon almond extract

1 cup sliced almonds, if desired for a garnish

Prepare and bake cake mix according to package directions, using two greased and floured 9-inch round baking pans. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.

For filling, in a large bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, confectioners’ sugar, orange zest, vanilla and almond extracts; stir in chocolate chips, if desired.

For frosting, in a bowl with an electric mixer combine butter, confectioners’ sugar, milk, vanilla and almond extracts.

Place one cake layer on a serving plate; spread with 1-cup filling. Top with second cake layer. Spread remaining filling over top of cake to within 1-inch of edges. Frost sides and top 1-inch edge of cake with frosting.

Arrange pineapple slices in each pan in a single layer over sugar and place a cherry in center of each slice.

In a large bowl with an electric mixer, combine together cake mix, water, oil, and eggs; beat until well combined.

Evenly divide batter between the two pans and bake 30 to 33 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center of each comes out clean. Let cakes stand for 5 minutes.

Loosen gently with a knife and invert onto 2-cake plates. Serve warm, or allow to cool completely before serving. Refrigerate when done serving.

Orange Dreamsicle Cake

This is a delightful tasting cake with the combination of orange and vanilla flavors which have been used together for centuries. Make this cake the day before for best results.

Cake:

1 package yellow cake mix

3 large eggs room temperature

1 ¼ (one an done fourth) cups fresh orange juice

1/3 (one third) cup canola oil

1 3-ounce package orange flavored gelatin

½ (one half) cup boiling water

Pudding Mixture:

½ (one half) cup cold water

1 3-ounce package instant vanilla pudding

1 cup whole milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cream Mixture:

1 ¼ (one and one fourth) cups heavy whipping cream

1/3 (one third) cup confectioners’ sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cake Mixture:

Prepare cake mix according to package directions, using eggs, orange juice, and canola oil. Vegetable spray a 13 x 9 x 2 – inch pan and pour in cake batter. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30-40 minutes until cake springs back when touched and starts to pull away from sides of pan. Cool cake completely on wire rack, about an hour.

With the handle of a wooden spoon or a wooden chopstick, poke small holes all over the cake, going right to bottom of the cake pan.

Gelatin Mixture:

In a bowl empty 1-box orange gelatin and pour boiling water over gelatin, stirring until gelatin is completely dissolved. Add 1-cup cold water and mix well. Slowly and evenly pour this mixture over the cake, making sure the mixture goes into all the holes. Cover and chill for 3-4 hours.

Pudding Mixture:

In another bowl, with an electric mixer, combine vanilla pudding mix, milk, and vanilla and beat well.

Cream Mixture:

In another bowl, with an electric mixer, beat together heavy cream and confectioners’ sugar until stiff peaks form. Fold the cream mixture into the pudding mixture and spread over cake. Cover and refrigerate for 6-8 hours or overnight before serving. Refrigerate after serving.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30-35 minutes or until a golden brown and center is set. Cool completely in baking pan on a wire rack.

Cut into squares and store in refrigerator.

Hope Cusick has won awards at the North Carolina Strawberry Festival in 2012; The North Carolina Blueberry Festival, winning first place for her Blueberry Cheese Danish Pastry in 2012, and placing on her blueberry spinach salad and dressing; and has won various other contest awards for her blueberry cheesecake, breads, cookies, brownies and jams. She resides in Hampstead.